Astrological Musings

is best known as the astrologer who writes the Vanity Fair sun sign column, and as you know, I have little respect for astrologers who try to condense this ancient art into an attempt to predict the future based on sun signs. But he has some interesting things to say about Israel/Palestine and its second Saturn Return which is approaching beginning in September and continuing through next year, as well as the planetary influences on suicide bombers..

The Saturn Return occurs when Saturn returns to its place in the birthchart – the first Saturn Return occurs at age 28-30 and is a time when we are tested for our ability to leave childhood behind and grow into adulthood. It can be a time of great success, or great failures. The second Saturn Return is around age 56-59, and our ability to successfully navigate through life’s structured passageways is confronted. This is the doorway to the “third age,” the time when we begin to ease off our responsibilities (as represented by Saturn) and enjoy the fruits of our labors.

From Michael Lutin:

If you speak fluent Hebrewcould you please explain to Israeli authoritieswhat the Saturn return is all about?the Saturn return of Israel/Palestinemeans that the events of these past weekswill last well into 2007This situation is setting off the Saturn returnand what’s going on there nowis setting up a situation that’s going to last a long long timeThe roots of this situation go back to 1977then 1948 when Israel/Palestine was first formedand then back even further.To solve the problemnew boundaries will eventually be createdand that may take a long long […]

You can read the whole article here but here is an excerpt. Much of this month’s article has to do with the major planetary events of 2006: Jupiter’s ride through Scorpio, Jupiter trine Uranus, and an introduction to the opposition of Saturn to Neptune which is moving into place:

The introduction:

We begin the month of August with four planets traveling retrograde: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Chiron. While there is a strong push by these “outer” or “transpersonal” planets to force us to re-engage ourselves in the process of accelerating our personal development, the personal planets (including Mercury and Jupiter which were retrograding over the past couple of months) are now moving forward and helping us to move forward as well.

The elemental balance, however, is not providing a great deal of fire energy to facilitate that process, with most of the planets now in earth and water signs. The elements of earth and water deal with the more passive (yin), or receptive energies; they are more concerned with the practical details (earth) and emotional connections (water) of life on Planet Earth. Mars, the planet of physical drive, is in Virgo now where it prefers to make plans and strategies than take direct action. Venus, governing relationships and interpersonal interaction, and Mercury, the planet of communication and short journeys, are both in Cancer where the focus turns to home life and feeding the family.

As some of you know, I write an advice column for Innerchange Magazine, and from time to time I will post some of the more interesting questions. Here’s one that came in the other day:

Q: I know a bit about astrology, but have not been able to find a satisfactory explanation of combination of transits that are now occurring in my chart. Neptune is on my ASC and Pluto is on my DSC, in exact opposition. This is a slow-moving influence, and websites call it “generational.” Do you know how this opposition might play out in my life and evolution?

A: While it is true that the opposition from transiting Neptune to natal Pluto is generational, it is still a powerful and life changing event. I disagree with certain astrologers who claim that the “generational” transits are limited in their effect on personal charts. While it is true that these transits are affecting a large group of people at the same time, the effect of the transit is still a powerful one.

That being said, this transit is especially powerful for you because it falls on the angles of your birthchart. Pluto in your chart is “angular”, it lies on the axis of the cusp of the seventh house (the descendant), opposing the ascendant. Pluto deals with issues of power, and on the asc/desc axis these power issues will play out primarily in relationships with others. Therefore, the transit of Neptune over your ascendant will aspect not only Pluto but the asc/desc axis as well. Transits of outer planets over any of the angles tend to produce major shifts in the life of an individual. Neptune transits can be challenging for many, and for you (with both Sun and Mars in […]

DAMASCUS, Syria, July 27 — At the onset of the Lebanese crisis, Arab governments, starting with Saudi Arabia, slammed Hezbollah for recklessly provoking a war, providing what the United States and Israel took as a wink and a nod to continue the fight. The Middle EastNow, with hundreds of Lebanese dead and Hezbollah holding out against the vaunted Israeli military for more than two weeks, the tide of public opinion across the Arab world is surging behind the organization, transforming the Shiite group’s leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, into a folk hero and forcing a change in official statements.

…proving once again that the Bush administration just doesn’t get what’s driving the conflict here. In the ongoing square from Jupiter to Saturn, the Bush White House is playing Saturn in its attempt to use its imagined and overestimated power in the world to crush the rebellion in the Arab world against what is seen as the oppression of Israel. Yet Bush continues to speak about the insurgencies in Iraq and Lebanon as the result of the terrorists “hating our freedom.”These events herald the upcoming Saturn/Neptune opposition, in which the fantasies of Neptune will run up against the hard realities and challenges of Saturn, and the Saturnian quest to build rigid forms of morals and ideas will collide with the Neptunian tendency to create illusion and confusion.

This also illuminates the trend during this heavily retrograde period (now that Mercury has changed direction and is no longer retrograde, we have four planets still appearing to move backwards making it very difficult to achieve any real and lasting results in our endeavors. Israel has retreated from its initial effort to overpower Hezbollah forces and instead is attempting to […]

It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.

What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives.

If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places – and there are so many – where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future.

The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

–Howard Zinn(You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A personal history of our times, p. 208)

Site search

Search for:

All about astrology

lokasiwisata.info has been a practicing astrological consultant in beautiful North Carolina for over 30 years, working with clients all over the world both in person and by phone. She focuses on therapeutic and healing approaches which encourage greater empowerment and personal growth. She is available for personal consultations.

Get social with me ❤️

Receive new posts by email

Get the latest blog posts every day

Subscribe to the Planetary Illuminations report

Mercury retrograde in 2019

When Mercury is retrograde we often see communication and equipment snafus, and things not going according to plan. There is a "shadow" period lasting about a week on either side when Mercury's movement is slower than normal. These are excellent times for planning and reflection but not good times to begin something new. More details here.